Rocket blast While the local rocket, known as “kwitis” considered as a relatively safe type of pyrotechnic, used in weddings and fiestas, it was tagged as the top cause of fireworks-related injuries during the Christmas and New Year revelries. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO">Rocket blast While the local rocket, known as “kwitis” considered as a relatively safe type of pyrotechnic, used in weddings and fiestas, it was tagged as the top cause of fireworks-related injuries during the Christmas and New Year revelries. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

At least 98 additional incidents of fireworks-related injuries were reported over the celebration of the New Year that saw the total number of cases rise to 236 cases from 21 December 2018 to 2 January 2019, according to the Department of Health (DoH).

The department said the total number of cases reported for the period represents a 52 percent drop compared to the figures reported a year ago.

The DoH said its Fireworks-Related Injury (FWRI) Surveillance report revealed that 98 were hurt by firecrackers from 1 January to early morning of 2 January.

Of the number, 35 were from the National Capital Region; 22 from Region I, 13 from Region VI, six from Region VII, five from Region IV-A, four from Region III, three each from the ARMM and Region V, two each from Regions IV-B and XII and one each from Regions II, IX and XI.

The DoH also noted that the total 236 injuries from 21 December to 2 January this year is 52 percent lower than the 492 recorded in 2018 and 71 percent lower than the 814 five-year average.

Of the 236 victims, 187 were male. The victims were between the ages of two to 75 years old, with a median age of 16 years old.

Likewise, the health agency noted that 140 of the firecracker-related injuries were caused by legal fireworks. A total of 234 victims were hurt by firecrackers while two cases were due to “fireworks ingestion.”

The DoH also said 180 cases were blast or burn injuries that did not require amputation; eight cases were blast or burn injuries with amputation and 61 cases were eye injuries.

Identified in the DoH report as the top cause of injuries was “kwitis” or rocket with 55 hurt, followed by “lusis” with 20, piccolo with 19, PVC improvised cannon or “boga” with 18 and five-star firecracker with 14.